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high estimation by his own family. Buttar and Lemon, coming up before
the subject had been changed, added their own meed of praise to that
which the others had awarded. Meantime Ernest, unconscious of what was
being said, after circling the pond with what is called the forward
roll, changing it to the Dutch--so denominated because it is the
movement employed by the Dutch peasants as they skate over their canals
and lagoons on their way to market--then began making figures of eight,
the spread-eagle, the back roll, not to mention many other figures and
evolutions, which perfectly astonished Ellis as he looked at them.
Frank had not skated for a long time; but, undaunted, he soon had on his
skates, and away he went, furiously on, as if he had suddenly been
converted into a battering-ram. So fast did he go that he could not
stop himself, and overtaking a stout gentleman, who was going
deliberately along, before he could beg him to get out of his way he ran
right up against him, and the consequence was, that he and the stout
gentlemen came to the ice together, making a very considerable star, and
a noise which was still more terrific. First there was the sudden crash
and rending asunder of the thick ice, and then the noise went rolling
and mumbling away to the other end of the pond.

"Hallo! young gentleman, we shall be in! we shall be in!" cried the
stout gentleman, in an agony of fear.

"I can swim, if we are," answered Frank, scarcely refraining his
laughter. "But beg pardon, sir; my skates ran away with me--they did
indeed; and if I hadn't fallen foul of you, they would have carried me
right across the pond. I'll help you up, though. You are not hurt, I
hope."

"Not much, I believe. I came down on you, and you formed a soft
cushion," answered the stout gentleman, good-naturedly. "But as to
helping me up, do not, I pray you, attempt it on any account; we shall
both of us go in if you do. Let us both roll away in opposite
directions from the crack before we attempt to get on our feet. See how
I manage."

As the stout gentleman spoke, he began slowly to roll himself over and
over away from the centre of the star, and Frank imitating him, they
were both of them soon again on their legs. Frank was going off again
at full speed, having once more repeated his apologies for his
carelessness, when the stout gentleman stopped him.

"We must not leave others to fall into the danger from which we have
escaped,"